Since the PEG guys might not have the relevant document posted on their website for a while, and since several of us are curious about it, I was hoping we could start a thread to enumerate the changes and additions from SW Explorer's Edition to SW Deluxe - basically a thread that would allow someone to see at a glance the differences between the two. I'd prefer not to discuss or debate the changes here - just to list them. I'm also not listing all the details - for example, I mention that there are some tweaks to powers and give an example, but I don't list every tweak. I have other things to do, you know!

I'm only on my first time through the book, and not reading quite as thoroughly as I will on my second pass, but I'll included the things I've noticed so far. Feel free to post below anything I've missed (or screwed up ... ), and then I'll edit this first post to collate them - then maybe a mod will sticky it at some point.

Without further adieu ...

CHANGES

- Guts skill removed from core rules

- more detailed guidelines for using the Climb skill

- Driving is now a free action unless the character is performing a maneuver

- The skills for AB: Super Powers are now bought as if the fictional linked stat is always higher than the current skill level (as opposed to SWEX, in which the skill was treated as though it was higher than the stat - thus Super Power skills are "cheaper" in SWD than SWEX)

- Double Barrel Shotgun slightly tweaked in how it works.

- A Shaken while on Hold loses Hold Status

- Shaken results now merely limit the character to free actions (instead of no actions) and do not halve the character's Pace

- new Incapacitation table, including some "Bleeding Out" rules (BTW, a raise on the incapacitation table still results in incapacitation)

- Healing can now only be attempted on each individual's fresh wounds once in the "Golden Hour." (Plus an attempt to revive if the target is Incapacitated.) They can't cause an additional wound through rolling a 1 or less however. (To clarify - only once per healer - multiple healers could each try once on the same wounded character within that Golden Hour.)

- Non-Lethal Damage simply knocks out for 1d6 hours, with no Incap roll

- Area effect attacks now get an extra 1d6 damage for a raise (like most attacks)

- Area-attack damage is determined separately for each WildCard and for any group of extras, with one damage-roll that affects the whole group. (In SWEX, damage was applied to each target separately, regardless of their status as WildCard or Extra.)

- Full Defense now rolls Fighting +2 (instead of just Fighting)

- prone defenders no longer rise to defend themselves automatically (it requires 2" of movement to rise, but that's part of normal movement, so it's still not a full action)

- Suppressive Fire counts as a damaging attack

- Mass Battle is an opposed roll now rather than two separate rolls

- new Chase rules (also, the Climb stat for aircraft works differently in this context)

- no more Capital Ships rules

- tweaks to some powers (e.g., the Bolt power can be used for multiple bolts, or one increased damage bolt, but not both at once)

ADDITIONS

- designer notes (explanations and reflections on the rules by the PEG folks)

- archetypes (character templates that let you create NPCs easily on the fly, or allow new players to jump right in)

- example Races (e.g., elf, dwarf, android, etc.)

- Race creation rules (similar to those found in the fantasy companion or slipstream)

- Skill Familiarity: basically just a reminder that the GM has the right to impose situational modifiers

- clarified rules on common knowledge v. specific knowledge

- knowledge: language rules

- about 20 new edges (including some new combat and leadership edges)

- many more vehicles included in the gear section (more similar to the old hardback SW rules than SWEX)

- some notes for playing without miniatures, including how to approximate area templates without a battle map

- rules for Improvised Weapons

- rules for Push (which can be used to push, shield bash, or knock someone prone - so it pretty much covers tripping as well, and could probably be used for charging and throwing with little modification, especially if combined with grappling)

- rule for Rapid Attack (basically three attacks in one round, all at a penalty)

- Combat Rating: notes on balancing and scaling combat encounters (if you want to )_________________I've often speculated why you don't return to America. Did you abscond with the church funds? Run off with a senator's wife? I like to think you killed a man. It's the Romantic in me.

I count 20 new edges, a large number of which are for martial arts. Others, like Brave, are related to the removal of the Guts skill. There are also a few more leadership edges, some of which are rather nice.

Fleet-Footed is now a Background Edge.

Also, almost every spell from the Fantasy Companion is there. Only a couple are missing.

Lastly, look closely at the description of trappings. The entire structure has been changed from what was in the Fantasy Companion._________________

Healing can now only be attempted on each individuals fresh wounds once in the "Golden Hour." (Plus an attempt to revive if the target is Incapacitated.) They can't cause an additional wound through rolling a 1 or less however.

Driving is now a Free action unless performing a maneuver.

No more Tabletop use of Climb. Also, Climb stat is expressed differently.

Last edited by grimmshade on Sun Jun 26, 2011 3:23 pm; edited 1 time in total

I heard that there are some new spells not found in the Fantasy Companion. Is this true? If so, can someone post the names of them and a brief synopsis of what they (For example, Puppet allows you to control the actions of others).